Gov. Snyder has signed nine bills into law this year

LANSING – With the Legislature on a two-week break, there weren't any new bills introduced last week.

So the Free Press offers a list of the nine bills that have passed both the state House and Senate and been signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder so far this year.

It's a much smaller universe than the 666 bills and 123 resolutions that have been introduced in the House (417 bills and 71 resolutions) and Senate (249 bills and 52 resolutions) so far this year. All the new laws went into effect as soon as Snyder signed the bills.

The two chambers have passed a total of 16 bills this year, and seven of those still await Snyder's signature, including bills that would prohibit the use of drones in hunting or to harass hunters and allowing retired federal law enforcement officers to carry weapons in gun-free zones.

New laws in 2015

Public Act 1 and 2 (SB 44-45): Setting March 8, 2016, for the presidential primary in Michigan. Sponsor: Sen. David Robertson, R-Grand Blanc.

Public Act 3 and 4 (SB 34-35): Eliminate county gun licensing boards and transfer that authority to the Michigan State Police and county clerks. Sponsor: Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville.

Public Act 5 and 6 (HB 4110 and 4112): Adjustments to school aid and general state budgets to make up for a $325-million shortfall created when businesses began to cash in tax credits given in prior years. Sponsor: Rep. Al Pscholka, R-Stevensville.

Public Act 7 (HB 4078): Disbursement of $24.7 million in Natural Resources Trust Fund dollars for 25 acquisitions of land for recreational use, representing $18.2 million and 44 development projects worth $6.5 million. For a full list of the acquisition and projects, go to www.michigan.gov/mnrtf. Sponsor: Rep. Jon Bumstead, R-Newaygo.

Public Act 8 (SB 137): Authorizes $3 million in total funding for autism programs and family support systems at Eastern Michigan, Michigan State and Western Michigan universities. Sponsor: Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, R-Lowell.

Public Act 9 (SB 138): Allocates a total of $4.8 million in resources to further the establishment of trauma care for crime victims. Sponsor: Sen. Hildenbrand.

Michigan residents who want to weigh in on the May 5 ballot proposal - that will raise the state's income tax from 6% to 7% and trigger 10 more state laws that will raise $1.8 billion to be distributed for road repairs, public transit, education, local government and the working poor - have until Monday to register to vote for the election.

You can get an application to become a registered voter at your local clerk's office, a Secretary of State branch office, some state agency offices like the departments of Human Services or Community Health, at a voter registration drive or online at www.Michigan.gov/sos.

But the application must get to your local clerk's office by Monday, April 6.

When you request an absentee ballot, you must give one of six reasons for why you're not able to vote in person on election day at your regular voting precinct: You are age 60 years old or older, unable to vote without assistance at the polls, expecting to be out of town on Election Day, in jail awaiting arraignment or trial, unable to attend the polls because of religious reasons or appointed to work as an election inspector in a precinct outside of your precinct of residence.

Requests for an absentee ballot that are sent by mail must be received by 2 p.m. on the Saturday before the election.

Once you receive your absentee ballot, you have until 8 p.m. on Election Day to complete and return the ballot to your clerk's office. Some clerks set up voting booths in their offices on the days before an election so people can get, fill out and turn in their ballots on the same day.